Catalogues still popular as shoppers go online

While consumers continue to embrace online shopping, there's still strong support for traditional hard copy catalogues, according to a new research report.

Catalogues continue to perform strongly against other media channels in the marketing category, the latest findings from the ACRS Shopper Report reveal.

The Shopper Report, released quarterly, indicates that while the internet remains the most popular medium for consumers, 74 per cent of shoppers also find catalogues a valuable source of information, citing they ‘always to sometimes’ utilise them when making purchasing decisions, and looking for information.

This was followed by the use of tablets, reported at 20 per cent for general information and 22 per cent for price comparison; and then social media engagement, ranked 19 and five per cent respectively.

Catalogue readership strengthens as 33 per cent of respondents read at least four to 10 catalogues a month and a further 20 per cent will read 10 or more a month. In total 88 per cent of respondents read at least one catalogue a month.

The results show that despite the growth in e-commerce retailing, consumer engagement with catalogues has remained stable, with 71 per cent of respondents reporting they would continue to use catalogues in the same capacity, and 15 per cent stating they would increase their use.

"In the comfort of their own home consumers will often read catalogues for enjoyment, and prefer reading catalogues more frequently, with an advertorial design, as their most preferred style of catalogue,” Kellie Northwood, CEO of Australian Catalogue Association, commented.